Scottish Executive

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence there is to support (a) brain malfunction caused by biochemical imbalance or (b) genetic heritability being causal factors of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Malcolm Chisholm: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a complex condition that has been and continues to be the subject of a considerable body of research worldwide. While it is theorised that the condition may be linked to an imbalance of dopamine in the brain which may be due to a faulty gene or combination of genes, there is no definitive proof that these are the only causal factors. Environmental and other factors may also be involved.

  The Department of Health in England maintains a National Research Register with details of all on-going and recent research into a wide variety of medical conditions including ADHD. This is available on regularly updated CD-ROM in the Parliament’s Reference Centre and online at:

  http://www.update-software.com/nrr/CLIBINET.EXE?A=1&U=1001&P=10001

Audiology

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the light of the outcomes of modernisation of audiology services in England and Wales, it will make a commitment to modernisation of such services based on digital technology.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will institute a study on modernisation of audiology services based on digital technology.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set a timescale for implementing modernisation of audiology services based on digital technology.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The final report of the review of audiology services makes recommendations on the extent to which these services need to be modernised and how this modernisation might be effected.

  The Executive is currently considering the report and its recommendations.

Audiology

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received information about any plans to roll out access to appropriate digital hearing aids throughout Northern Ireland and what plans it has to make similar provision.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The Executive is aware of the recent announcement in Northern Ireland.

  Digital hearing aids are already included within the wide range of hearing aids available on the central contracts arranged by Scottish Healthcare Supplies for the NHSScotland. The decision on which type of hearing aid best meets the clinical need of individual patients is for the clinician in charge of their care.

  The final report of the review of audiology services commissioned to establish the extent to which audiology services in Scotland need to be modernised and improved is currently under consideration.

Bridges

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to meet Angus Council to discuss further the funding of the A92 bridge over the River South Esk at Montrose.

Mr Andy Kerr: I met Angus Council in October to discuss the funding of the Montrose Bridge replacement project. Following that meeting we agreed to increase total Scottish Executive support for the project to £4.2 million. We have no immediate plans to meet Angus Council again in the near future to discuss this issue.

Care of Elderly People

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive . further to the answer to question S1W-29930 by Mr Frank McAveety on 9 October 2002, when it intends to complete its consideration of the implications for its policy on free personal care of the decision of the Competition Commission Appeals Tribunal.

Mr Frank McAveety: We do not consider there are any immediate implications for, or actions required in respect of, our policy on free personal care arising from the Bettercare judgement. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-31405 on 20 November 2002, which makes clear that more general assessment must await judgement on another related case and that we remain in close contact with our counterparts in Northern Ireland and the other UK administrations on this matter.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Care of Elderly People

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31405 by Mr Frank McAveety on 20 November 2002, whether the Competition Commission Appeal Tribunal’s judgement on 20 September 2002 regarding the Bettercare Group Ltd affects the Executive’s opinion of the scope and impact of the General Agreement on Trade in Services and, in particular, whether any revision is required to the answers given to previous questions on this matter in the light of the judgement.

Malcolm Chisholm: No general assessment has been made of the implications of the ruling but we remain in close contact with our counterparts in the other UK administrations on this issue.

Children's Hearings

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any record of the number of occasions on which the outcome of a children’s hearing as decided by a children’s panel cannot be implemented due to lack of resources.

Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-31723 on 28 November 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at   http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Children's Hearings

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children’s panel members’ associations there are and what the role of such associations is in the children’s hearing system.

Cathy Jamieson: There is only one national association for panel members, the Scottish Association of Children’s Panels. Membership is open to all panel members. The role of the association is to:

  (a) promote the effectiveness of children's hearings;

  (b) provide a means of communication between children's panels, local and national bodies and the public;

  (c) present the views and needs of panel members on training and other competent matters to the appropriate bodies;

  (d) organise and promote conferences of panel members throughout Scotland;

  (e) provide a forum for the exchange of views and experience, and

  (f) to promote a better understanding of the role of children's panels.

Climate Change

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has estimated the contribution that local authority action will make to meeting its climate change targets.

Allan Wilson: The Executive collects data on the contribution that the public sector as a whole is making to Scottish greenhouse gas emissions. However, no estimate has been made of the contribution that overall action by Scottish local authorities will make to future levels of greenhouse gas emissions. Given that action by Scottish local authorities can include voluntary measures, it would be difficult to estimate the changes in emission levels that such actions may bring about.

Education

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre all guidance, guidelines and official circulars initiated by the Scottish Office and the Scottish Executive that are still operational in respect of pre-school centres, primary schools, secondary schools, special schools and tertiary education institutions.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive does not place such material in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre as a matter of course. The centre can request particular publications from the Scottish Executive if requested.

Education

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5965 by Nicol Stephen on 28 November 2002, whether a deadline has been set for collating the details from local authorities on their language learning provision and whether it will publish this information once collated and, if so, how.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive has asked the 32 local authorities to supply the details of their language learning provision by 31 January 2003. This will be an annual task to monitor the implementation of the entitlement to language education in Scottish schools. Arrangements will be made to publish this information.

  The information gathered relating to the innovative projects in language learning will also be published in due course.

Education

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of pupils did not achieve Level A within the 5-14 attainment targets by the end of primary 4 for (a) reading, (b) writing and (c) mathematics in each year since 1998.

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of pupils did not achieve Level B within the 5-14 attainment targets by the end of primary 6 for (a) reading, (b) writing and (c) mathematics in each year since 1998.

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of pupils did not achieve Level C within the 5-14 attainment targets by the end of primary 7 for (a) reading, (b) writing and (c) mathematics in each year since 1998.

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of pupils did not achieve Level D within the 5-14 attainment targets by the end of secondary 2 for (a) reading, (b) writing and (c) mathematics in each year since 1998.

Nicol Stephen: Information on the number of pupils who reached 5-14 attainment levels relating to their stage in the school years 1998-99 to 2001-02 is shown in the publications 5-14 Attainment in Publicly Funded Schools 2000-2001 and 5-14 Attainment in Publicly Funded Schools 2001-2002 . These were published in January and December 2002 respectively and copies are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. numbers 18788 and 25569).

  It should be noted that pupils for whom no assessment information was available are included in the numbers not attaining the level relevant to their stage.

Emergency Services

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates since October 2001 local authorities and emergency services have carried out nuclear emergency drills in co-operation with UK agencies and where any such drills were carried out.

Hugh Henry: A list of nuclear exercises since October 2001 in which the emergency services, local authorities and other UK agencies have participated, is given in the following table. An exercise at Faslane planned to take place in November was cancelled due to MoD involvement in the fire dispute and has been rescheduled for 2003.

  
 Date Exercise 
Location Civilian/Military
 2002 
22-24 February Ardersier/Inverness
Civilian/Military  26 June
Hunterston/Irvine Civilian 
7 November Chapelcross/Dumfries
Civilian 

  Note:

  Where two locations are shown, the first is the postulated locus of the incident and the second is the location of the established/nearest off-site centre (OSC) from where the incident is managed.

Emergency Services

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates since October 2001 local authorities and emergency services have carried out emergency drills for terrorist attacks; where such drills took place, and what agencies were involved.

Hugh Henry: All 32 local authorities and the emergency services in Scotland carry out a comprehensive exercise programme on an on-going basis covering a wide range of different scenarios, including dealing with the consequences of a terrorist attack. The detailed information sought by the member is not held centrally.

Employment

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what target it has set for the number of jobs to be relocated to rural areas in each of the next five years and, if no such target has been set, whether it has any plans to do so.

Peter Peacock: We have no such plans. However, in the answer given to question S1W-30915 on 25 October 2002, my colleague Mr Andy Kerr announced additional reviews which will provide further opportunities for rural areas. Organisations covered by the relocation policy will be required to identify small units of work which, following more detailed appraisal, might prove suitable for relocation to more remote areas without compromising efficiency. Circumstances of individual organisations vary and it would therefore be inappropriate to set specific targets for the number of jobs to be relocated to rural areas following these appraisals.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Enterprise

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the creation of a gap year travel fund initiative for school leavers as a means of stimulating the economy.

Iain Gray: Whilst I support and encourage young people to travel to broaden their horizons it is an individual’s responsibility to fund his/her own travel. Young people may wish to take up one of the many volunteering opportunities, where volunteer engaging agencies may meet some of the expenses incurred by volunteers.

Enterprise

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the establishment of a competitiveness council.

Iain Gray: I recently attended a meeting of the European Competitiveness Council with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. The Scottish Executive has no plans at present to set up a Scottish competitiveness council.

Enterprise

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources were made available to (a) South Lanarkshire Council, (b) the enterprise company serving South Lanarkshire and (c) other bodies to assist with economic difficulties in the Larkhall area following the closure of DAKS Simpson.

Iain Gray: Following the announcement in October 2001 that manufacturing would cease at DAKS Simpson Larkhall site, support was provided to those being made redundant through the Scottish Executive’s Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) framework. The Lanarkshire PACE team includes Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire Council and Jobcentre Plus.

  The PACE team offered a range of services to help the redundant workers find retraining and employment opportunities. These included an on-site Jobshop, presentations to the workforce by the PACE partnership, job fairs to introduce the workforce to local employers and providing business start up information.

Environment

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the procedure is for the notification of any instances of dumping of radioactive waste at sea to (a) the Parliament, (b) relevant local authorities, (c) relevant local NHS boards, (d) local industries that may be affected and (e) local residents.

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current procedure is for dealing with any incident of radioactive waste being introduced into the sea.

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures it requires British Energy to have in place to prevent the dumping of radioactive waste at sea.

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place for it, as a signatory through Her Majesty’s Government to the International Convention for the Prevention of the Marine Environment of the North East Atlantic agreement, to notify other signatories of any instances of radioactive waste dumping at sea.

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what studies it has undertaken to measure the effects of radioactive releases into the sea.

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the role of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency is with regard to any incident of radioactive matter being released into the sea.

Ross Finnie: Radioactive material has not been dumped at sea by the UK since 1982. Scottish ministers retain the position held by the UK Government at the time of devolution - that radioactive material will not be dumped at sea under any circumstances.

  Routine discharges of low-level radioactive waste to sea are controlled under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 within the terms of authorisations issued by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to nuclear site operators such as British Energy. Authorisations provide stringent controls under which such discharges may be made. Releases are carefully regulated by SEPA. Should an unauthorised release occur, the site operator is required to notify SEPA as soon as possible. SEPA, as the regulator, will investigate the incident thoroughly and determine any action necessary, including potential legal action and invoking contingency plans to notify relevant bodies.

  SEPA carries out a comprehensive programme of monitoring of environmental radioactivity in Scotland, concentrating on the monitoring of the marine and coastal environments. SEPA publishes the results of its monitoring annually in Radioactivity in Food and the Environment (RIFE), jointly with the Food Standards Agency. RIFE presents results of measurements of radioactivity in the environment. Copies of the reports, including the current report RIFE-7, are available from the Parliament’s Reference Centre, or from the SEPA website at the following address:

  www.sepa.org.uk/publications/rife/index.htm.

Fisheries

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31010 by Ross Finnie on 7 November 2002, how many fishing licenses have been allocated by its Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD) to boats (a) owned by non-UK nationals and (b) for which the port of registration is outwith Scotland.

Ross Finnie: SEERAD currently license 33 fishing vessels owned by non-UK nationals. Of these, 12 have a port of registration outwith Scotland.

Fisheries

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31011 by Ross Finnie on 7 November 2002, how many fishing licenses issued by its Environment and Rural Affairs Department are being managed at ports outwith Scotland.

Ross Finnie: None. All fishing vessel licences issued by SEERAD are managed at ports of administration within Scotland.

Flood Prevention

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1F-2273 by the First Minister on 21 November 2002, what meetings have taken place to explore any flexibility in the Common Agricultural Policy and European Structural Funds to assist flood prevention schemes in Moray.

Allan Wilson: The investigation of funding options to assist specific flood prevention schemes is a matter for the promoter of any such scheme. Where European assistance is considered a funding option, the promoter should consult with the relevant Programme Management Executive, which for Moray Council is the Highlands and Islands Partnership Programme.

Foster Care

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) registered foster carers there have been and (b) children have been in foster care in each year for which such information is available since 1995.

Cathy Jamieson: Figures on the number of registered foster carers are not held centrally. Figures on the number of children in foster care are not available for 1995 and 1996. Figures on the number of children in foster care since 1997 are available in the following publications: Children Looked After in the year to 31 March 1999 (Bib. number 25692), Children Looked After in the year to 31 March 2000 (Bib. number 12385), Children Looked After in the year to 31 March 2001 (Bib. number 21259) and Looked After Children in the year to 31 March 2002 (Bib. number 25693).

Foster Care

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average rate of pay is for foster carers and whether there are any plans to implement a national pay scale for such carers.

Cathy Jamieson: We do not hold information on payments to foster carers centrally. Rates of pay for foster carers are decided by local authorities based on the needs of the individual child. There are no plans at present to implement a national pay scale for foster carers.

Foster Care

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether relatives that act as foster carers are entitled to receive any foster care benefits.

Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-31686 on 28 November 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at   http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Further and Higher Education

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scotland should be promoted to prospective students from overseas as a place to study and whether such students should be encouraged to stay following completion of their course.

Iain Gray: Yes.

Gaelic

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the availability of opportunities throughout Scotland for adult non-native speakers to learn Gaelic.

Mike Watson: The responsibility for the delivery of Gaelic to adult non-native speakers rests with education authorities and further and higher education institutions. The Scottish Executive provides direct funding to Gaelic bodies and institutions engaged in Gaelic education for adults, and education authorities may also bid into the specific grant scheme for this purpose. The Scottish Executive will be providing extra resources for Gaelic next year and will be looking to Bòrd Gàidhlig na h-Alba for advice on spending priorities.

Gaelic

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the availability of opportunities to learn Gaelic as a second language in secondary schools throughout Scotland.

Mike Watson: The provision of Gaelic as a second language for secondary schools throughout Scotland is a matter for education authorities and they can also bid into the specific grant scheme for support for this activity. The Executive has acted to improve Gaelic teacher supply in both primary and secondary schools. In addition, the Scottish Executive will be providing extra resources for Gaelic next year and will be looking to Bòrd Gàidhlig na h-Alba for advice on spending priorities.

Gaelic

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the availability of opportunities to learn Gaelic as a second language for primary school children.

Mike Watson: The provision of Gaelic as a second language for primary school children is a matter for education authorities. However, the Executive supports with funding the Gaelic Language in the Primary School Programme which operates in a number of authorities. This programme seeks to develop the language skills of primary teachers to enable them to deliver Gaelic as a second language in their schools and authorities. The Scottish Executive will be providing extra resources for Gaelic next year and will be looking to Bòrd Gàidhlig na h-Alba for advice on spending priorities.

Gaelic

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what practical assistance it is giving to help adults learn Gaelic as a second language.

Mike Watson: The responsibility for the delivery of Gaelic as a second language for adults rests with education authorities and further and higher education institutions. The Scottish Executive also provides assistance to bodies and institutions engaged in Gaelic education for adults and education authorities may also bid into the specific grant scheme for this purpose. Any further practical assistance for adults is a matter for those authorities and institutions.

Gaelic

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what priority it gives within its Gaelic policy to enabling adults to learn Gaelic as a second language.

Mike Watson: The Scottish Executive attaches high priority to enabling adults to learn Gaelic as a second language. The main responsibility for the delivery of this rests with education authorities and the further and higher education sectors. However, an important contribution is also made by a number of Gaelic bodies and institutions that receive direct funding from the Executive. Education authorities may also bid into the specific grant scheme for this purpose. I also expect Bòrd Gàidhlig to address the issues arising for Gaelic learners.

Gaelic

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Education and Young People, the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning or the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport holds responsibility for policy and action on Gaelic when taught as a second language.

Mike Watson: A cross-cutting approach is employed in the Executive’s delivery on Gaelic issues. Gaelic is taught as a second language in both the schools sector and the post-school sector. The Minister for Education and Young People holds policy responsibility for the former and the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning holds policy responsibility for the latter. In connection with implementing policy on Gaelic in these sectors, ministers work with the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, who holds policy responsibility for the support and promotion of Gaelic language and culture.

General Agreement on Trade in Services

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29637 by Mr Andy Kerr on 7 October 2002, whether liberalisation under the General Agreement on Trade in Services is a motivating factor other than a key motivating factor in increasing the use of public private partnerships in public services.

Mr Andy Kerr: Liberalisation under the General Agreement on Trade in Services is not a motivating factor in increasing the use of private finance initiative and public private partnership projects in public services. The Scottish Executive policy is ready to offer choice and encourage delivery of improved public services from whatever route - public or private - which offers the most economic and advantageous solution.

General Agreement on Trade in Services

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether liberalisation under the General Agreement on Trade in Services would prevent the reversal of its policy of encouraging public private partnerships.

Mr Andy Kerr: Public private partnerships (PPPs) are one of a number of procurement tools available to the Executive and it’s partners to increase investment in public services. There are no plans to reverse current policy towards use of PPP.

General Agreement on Trade in Services

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether liberalisation under the General Agreement on Trade in Services would be beneficial overall to the health sector.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30229 on 17 October 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:   http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

General Agreement on Trade in Services

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-30230, S1W-30231, S1W-30233 and S1W-30234 by Cathy Jamieson on 17 October 2002, why it answered each of these questions by stating that "the regulation of international trade is a reserved matter", given that the questions asked about the impact of the General Agreement on Trade in Services on public services and, in particular, the provision of education.

Cathy Jamieson: The GATS negotiations are taking place at UK level and the Department of Trade and Industry has the lead. The Scottish Executive continues to be in regular contact with UK Departments about these negotiations and how they might impact on its responsibilities. However, the UK position is that the public services are excluded from the GATS. No WTO member has sought to challenge that interpretation.

General Agreement on Trade in Services

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30235 by Malcolm Chisholm on 17 October 2002, whether any other effective market access for service providers, other than for itself, exists in the NHS.

Malcolm Chisholm: The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) applies to measures affecting trade in services taken by central, regional or local governments and authorities and by non-governmental bodies in the exercise of powers delegated by such governments and authorities. Progressive liberalisation under the GATS concerns the reduction or elimination of the adverse effects on trade in services of such measures as a means of providing effective market access for foreign service suppliers. Requests for liberalisation by World Trade Organisation members do not seek the privatisation of state supplied public services. The GATS recognises the right of member governments to regulate and to introduce new regulations on the supply of services to meet national policy objectives.

General Agreement on Trade in Services

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30235 by Malcolm Chisholm on 17 October 2002, when it last made representations to Her Majesty’s Government about liberalisation under the General Agreement on Trade in Services.

Iain Gray: The regulation of international trade is a reserved matter. However, the Executive continues to be in regular contact with the Department of Trade and Industry and other UK Government Departments regarding the General Agreement on Trade in Services.

General Agreement on Trade in Services

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29654 by Cathy Jamieson on 1 October 2002, what adverse effects on trade in services in education need to be reduced or eliminated to provide effective market access for foreign service providers under the General Agreement on Trade in Services.

Cathy Jamieson: The UK position is that GATS will not apply to state-provided school education. There will, therefore, be no effects on such education in the UK following finalisation of the GATS agreement in January 2005.

General Agreement on Trade in Services

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether liberalisation under the General Agreement on Trade in Services would be beneficial overall to the education sector.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-29657 and S1W-29663 by Iain Gray on 2 and 3 October 2002 respectively, what assessment it has made, or plans to make, of the implications for tertiary education of liberalisation under the General Agreement on Trade in Services.

Iain Gray: The Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) is currently conducting a public UK-wide consultation exercise which seeks views from interested parties on all aspects of the current round of General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) negotiations. The consultation paper was produced with input from the Scottish Executive and the deadline for responses is 3 January 2003. The Scottish Executive continues to be in close contact with representative bodies from the tertiary education sector in Scotland. We have encouraged these bodies and other interested parties to provide an input to the DTI consultation process in order to highlight any specific concerns which they may have around the potential impact of GATS on education services.

  The results of the DTI consultation will highlight any issues of concern and potential benefits of further liberalisation under GATS. The Scottish Executive will continue to be involved with this process and provide input as appropriate.

General Agreement on Trade in Services

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10593 by Malcolm Chisholm on 26 January 2001, what part of the General Agreement on Trade in Services suggests that the agreement excludes from its coverage any service supplied in the exercise of governmental authority.

Iain Gray: Article 1.3 of the General Agreement on Trade in Services covers the issue. No World Trade Organisation member has sought to challenge the interpretation that this excludes public services from the scope of the agreement.

General Agreement on Trade in Services

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-29654 and S1W-30237 by Cathy Jamieson on 1 October and 29 October 2002, how the statement in the answer to question S1W-30237 that it is not for it to consider whether or not requests for liberalisation seek the privatisation of state-supplied public services is consistent with the answer to question S1W-29654 that requests for liberalisation by World Trade Organisation (WTO) members do not seek the privatisation of state-supplied public services.

Cathy Jamieson: The regulation of international trade is a reserved matter and the lead on WTO and General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) negotiations is taken by the UK Government. Any requests for liberalisation will take place, if at all, at member state, not at Scottish Executive level. However, it is the UK Government’s view that public services are excluded from GATS and in any event WTO members have the right to choose in which sectors and to what extent they want to make commitments.

General Agreement on Trade in Services

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S1W-29655, S1W-29656, S1W-29659, S1W-29660, S1W-29661 and S1W-29662 by Cathy Jamieson on 1 October 2002, what assessment it has made, or plans to make, of the implications for (a) nursery, (b) primary and (c) secondary education of liberalisation under the General Agreement on Trade in Services.

Cathy Jamieson: The UK position is that GATS will not apply to state-provided school education so assessment of implications will not be necessary in that sector.

General Practitioners

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether GPs are required to register when they undertake secondary jobs either in private consultancy or with the Department for Work and Pensions and, if so, how many GPs are currently so registered.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Terms of Service for GPs are set out in the NHS (General Medical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995. They do not require GPs to register secondary jobs.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland audit and monitor postcode prescribing and what action is taken where NHS trusts refuse to prescribe certain drugs and treatments.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHSScotland is expected to take account of advice and evidence from bodies such as the Health Technology Board and the Scottish Medicines Consortium and ensure that recommended drugs or treatments are made available to meet clinical need. Such advice and evidence is also an integral part of the development of condition-specific standards by the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland. The board's assessment of compliance with these standards, and with its overall clinical governance standards, provides an independent check that procedures are in place locally to implement relevant evidence-based guidance and recommendations.

  Any evidence that suggests that NHSScotland was not taking account of this advice or evidence would be followed up proactively by the Scottish Executive Health Department.

Health

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking, or plans to take, to set national standards of care for preventing and treating coronary heart disease.

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking, or plans to take, to recommend service models enabling the efficient delivery of any national standards of care for preventing and treating coronary heart disease.

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking, or plans to take, to suggest indicators and clinical audit criteria that can be used to assess the quality of prevention measures and treatments of coronary heart disease.

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking, or plans to take, to identify early priorities in the prevention and treatment of coronary heart disease.

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking, or plans to take, to identify milestones and goals that will mark progress with the implementation of national standards of care for preventing and treating coronary heart disease.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke Strategy for Scotland provides the framework for the future organisation and delivery of services. Services should be developed in line with all relevant NHS Quality Improvement Scotland Standards and SIGN Guidelines. The Strategy encompasses plans for the prevention and treatment of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), taking into account lifestyles and life circumstances, including those risk factors associated with CHD. These policies include initiatives such as the national health demonstration project Have a Heart Paisley. The Strategy also includes an implementation plan with defined timescales and milestones.

Health

Kay Ullrich (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a breakdown by NHS board area of the incidence of patients dying within seven days of having been discharged from hospital or having been seen by a hospital accident and emergency department in each year since May 1999 and whether records in relation to such deaths show whether the death was linked in any way to the patient's reason for having been admitted to hospital or having attended a hospital accident and emergency department.

Malcolm Chisholm: The following table shows the number of people who died within seven days of their discharge from general acute in-patient or day case care. Information on people dying after attending an accident and emergency department is not held centrally.

  It may be possible to compare the diagnoses recorded during the hospital stay with the cause of death notified, on a case by case basis, but the level of detail is unlikely to be specific enough to confirm a link in most cases.

  Deaths Within Seven Days of Hospital Discharge1 by Health Board of Treatment2: May 1999 to April 2002

  
 
May 1999 to April 2000 Died within 7 days of discharge
May 2000 to April 2001 Died within 7 days of discharge
May 2001 to April 2002 Died within 7 days of discharge
 Argyll and Clyde
158 167
174  Ayrshire 
and Arran 119
125 114
 Borders
31 38
38  Dumfries 
and Galloway 77
78 83
 Fife
104 111
124  Forth 
Valley 92
96 101
 Grampian
171 158
177  Greater 
Glasgow 509
488 564
 Highland
105 71
90  Lanarkshire
229 218
204  Lothian
287 279
261  Tayside
167 148
185  Island 
Boards 21
19 29
 Scotland
2,070 1,996
2,144 

  Notes:

  1. This information was extracted from the SMR01 and death registration linked dataset maintained by ISD Scotland. SMR01 (Scottish Morbidity Records 1) records all in-patient and day case discharges from non-obstetric and non-psychiatric specialties. Death registrations are obtained from the General Register Office for Scotland (GRO).

  2. Totals have been combined for the health board areas of Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles due to the small numbers in each.

Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has regarding the prescribing policy regarding atypical anti-psychotic drugs in each NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHS boards are responsible for ensuring that patients residing in their area have access to clinically appropriate treatment, including new drug treatments such as the atypical antipsychotic drugs.

  On 25 July 2002, the Health Technology Board for Scotland (HTBS) issued a comment on the NICE Guidance on the use of atypical antipsychotics for schizophrenia. The guidance recommends that the newer (atypical) antipsychotics should be considered alongside the older, existing medicines as one of the options of first choice to treat people with newly diagnosed schizophrenia. NHSScotland is expected to take account of advice and evidence from the HTBS and ensure that recommended drugs or treatments are made available to meet clinical need.

Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any evaluation has been made of the compliance by NHS boards with the recommendations made by the Health Technology Board for Scotland (HTBS) on the prescribing of atypical anti-psychotic drugs.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is not aware of a formal evaluation of compliance with the particular HTBS recommendations referred to. NHS boards are responsible under clinical governance arrangements for ensuring that appropriate treatments, including drug treatments recommended by HTBS, are available where clinically appropriate for patients resident in their areas. The Health Department has made clear that, if evidence emerges that a treatment recommended by HTBS is not made available other than for clinical reasons, that will be followed up proactively with the NHS board concerned.

Higher Education

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether financial support should be provided to enable people wishing to return to university following redundancy.

Iain Gray: Financial support is provided to enable people to return to university, irrespective of their reasons for doing so.

  Tuition fee support is not generally available to students to undertake a higher education course leading to a qualification at a level which they have already achieved. The purpose of this rule is to ensure that student support resources are used to help as many people as possible to attain higher education qualifications. Student loans and supplementary grants are, however, available regardless of previous study.

  The Executive’s Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) provides a framework for partnership working across key public sector agencies in the event of large-scale redundancies.

Historic Scotland

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-31475 and S1W-31964 by Dr Elaine Murray on 22 November and 9 December 2002 respectively, how it accounts for the expenditure by Historic Scotland on the Town Scheme when it does not hold information centrally on the grants awarded under the scheme.

Dr Elaine Murray: I have asked Graeme Munro, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  Local authorities, with the agreement of Historic Scotland and on the basis of standard guidelines, set up and manage Town Schemes and make the individual awards of grant. Historic Scotland provides matching funding and makes payments to the local authority, not the individual applicant. Therefore, only information on payments made to local authorities is held centrally in a convenient form. A new IT system being installed in support of Historic Scotland’s Historic Buildings Repair Grants Scheme will allow information on individual applications to be collated centrally in future.

Historic Scotland

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a list of all individual grants made under the Town Scheme that involved money dispensed by it through Historic Scotland.

Dr Elaine Murray: I have asked Graeme Munro, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32518 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. From available information, in 2001-02 grants were awarded in 20 Town Schemes by 10 local authorities and expenditure incurred by Historic Scotland amounted to £199,000. The 20 Town Schemes were Albert Terrace and Marine Terrace, Aberdeen; Anstruther/Cellardyke/Kilrenny; Cupar; Dunbar; Dunfermline; Gatehouse of Fleet; Isle of Whithorn; Kirkwall; Lerwick; Moffat; Montrose; Newmilns; Pittenweem; Portobello and South Queensferry; Portpatrick; Sanquhar; Stromness; Westerton, East Dunbartonshire; West Wemyss, and Whithorn.

Historic Scotland

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31965 by Dr Elaine Murray on 9 December 2002, whether it will give a breakdown of the six separate sums that comprise the £542,985 recovered from grant allocations.

Dr Elaine Murray: I have asked Graeme Munro, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  The six separate sums were as follows:

  £400,000

  £50,000

  £26,600

  £22,900

  £22,400

  £21,085

  I also refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32522 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Historic Scotland

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31965 by Dr Elaine Murray on 9 December 2002, why the financial information in respect of grant recovery is confidential, given that it involves the recovery of public funds.

Dr Elaine Murray: I have asked Graeme Munro, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  Confidentiality is necessary to protect the interests of individuals and companies and ensure the privacy of personal and commercially confidential information.

Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it and Argyll and Clyde NHS Board intend to take to address recruitment issues at the Vale of Leven District General Hospital.

Malcolm Chisholm: The appointment of the interim management team to NHS Argyll and Clyde, which I announced on 17 December, enables a range of strategic and operational issues to be addressed. Among these, I expect that the board and the management team will consider recruitment, staffing and related issues across the board area, including at the Vale of Leven District General Hospital.

Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate any management failures that contributed to the resignation of staff at the Vale of Leven District General Hospital.

Malcolm Chisholm: The support team that I sent in to NHS Argyll and Clyde on 26 September 2002 to help the chairman of the board and his colleagues address management issues across the NHS board area concluded that there were strategic management shortcomings that needed to be put right. As a result, senior staff changes have taken place, and I announced on 17 December 2002 that an interim support team had been appointed to tackle key strategic and management challenges in the area. Among these challenges will be designing and delivering sustainable health care services across the Argyll and Clyde area and the recruitment and retention of staff.

Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to assist Argyll and Clyde NHS Board in restoring maternity services to the Vale of Leven District General Hospital.

Malcolm Chisholm: The appointment of the interim management team to NHS Argyll and Clyde, which I announced on 17 December, enables a range of strategic and operational issues to be addressed. Work had already begun on a review of maternity services across Argyll and Clyde. There will now be wide consultation with the public and with staff about options for maternity services, as part of the review. The outcome of the review will be shaped by this consultation process and by relevant departmental guidance, including the Framework for Maternity Services , published in February 2001, and the report of the Expert Group on Acute Maternity Services, published on 18 December 2002; and will guide future patterns of maternity services at the Vale of Leven District General Hospital.

Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when an acute services review in the Argyll and Clyde NHS Board area will commence and what the expected completion date is.

Malcolm Chisholm: The appointment of the interim management team to NHS Argyll and Clyde, which I announced on 17 December, enables a range of strategic and operational issues to be addressed. The board and the interim management team are expected to bring forward plans for a review of health care services across Argyll and Clyde, to help achieve a balanced and sustainable pattern of services. The timing and duration of the review are matters for the board, but there must be adequate time allowed for genuine public engagement, consultation and involvement in these important issues.

Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is committed to supporting Argyll and Clyde NHS Board in maintaining a full range of services north of the River Clyde in order to meet the needs of the local population.

Malcolm Chisholm: An important part of the responsibilities of each NHS board is to plan and ensure the provision of sustainable health care services to meet the needs of their populations. I expect NHS Argyll and Clyde, and the interim management team whose appointment I announced on 17 December 2002, to ensure that its responsibilities in this regard are fulfilled.

  The review of health care services across Argyll and Clyde referred to in the answer given to question S1W-32080 today, will ensure that people living in all parts of Argyll and Clyde, including those north of the river Clyde, have the opportunity to be involved in considering options and future patterns of services.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Hospitals

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the future is of the Vale of Leven Hospital.

Malcolm Chisholm: I expect to see health care services continuing to be provided at Vale of Leven Hospital. The future balance of services at the hospital is primarily a matter for the NHS Argyll and Clyde Board, in the context of the needs of service users, Health Department guidance and the board’s planned review of health care services generally across the area it serves. Any proposals for material and permanent change to existing services must be the subject of public consultation.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give details of the timetable of the proposed consultation period on the improvement to the stock transfer process, as announced in the ministerial statement on housing by the Minister for Social Justice on 7 November 2002, including the proposed start date and closing date for submissions, a list of organisations to be consulted and the proposed date of publication of its response.

Ms Margaret Curran: The review is initially being focused, through interviews, on those directly involved to date in developing transfer proposals. Therefore, meetings are taking place with those involved in the whole transfer proposals in Glasgow, Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Borders, Western Isles and Shetland Islands, and in partial transfers in Edinburgh and East Dunbartonshire.

  Once this information gathering phase is completed, there will be wider consultation early in the new year with interested bodies on the emerging conclusions.

Housing

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31962 on 11 December 2002, why the information on the number of applications for grants to remove lead piping in domestic premises is not held centrally.

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31962 on 11 December 2002, what plans it has to hold the information on the number of applications for grants to remove lead piping in domestic premises centrally.

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31962 on 11 December 2002, where information on the number of applications for grants to remove lead piping in domestic premises is currently held.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Improvement and Repairs Grants scheme, under which grants are available for the replacement of lead water pipes, is operated by local authorities using funds from the general capital allocation. Information about applications outstanding at any given time is therefore held by the local authorities themselves. Information is collected centrally on the number of applications approved, and the amount of expenditure, for each year. In 2001-02, 1,389 grants for replacement of lead water pipes were approved, with a total value of £832,749. The Scottish Executive has no plans at present to collect information on outstanding applications.

Justice

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government about increasing the number of inquiries undertaken by the Inland Revenue into the financial affairs of any person convicted of supplying drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and about whether such inquiries could consider obtaining an explanation from such people about whether their assets had been lawfully acquired.

Hugh Henry: Under the Proceeds of Crime (Scotland) Act 1995 where a person is convicted of a drug trafficking offence (which includes supplying drugs) under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, the court can order the confiscation of all assets obtained by him over the previous six years. Where the court does not make such an order, the Inland Revenue could make an appropriate investigation. Similar provisions are contained in the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 which will be implemented over the next few months. In addition that act introduces significant new powers for the Director of the Assets Recovery Agency to tax the suspected proceeds of unlawful conduct even where a person has not been convicted of a criminal offence.

Justice

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the value of fines payable to HM Treasury under section 211(5) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 has been for each twelve-month period from 1 July 1999 to date.

Hugh Henry: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Court Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The records held by the Scottish Court Service do not separately identify fines which have been imposed under Section 211(5) of the Criminal Procedure Scotland Act. However, staff within the High Court of Justiciary can not recall this section being invoked in recent years.

Justice

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the value of proceeds of district court fines sent to HM Treasury has been for each 12-month period from 1 July 1999 to date.

Hugh Henry: The available information is given in the following table:

  Value of Fines Sent to Exchequer (£000s)

  
 1999-20001
2000-012 2001-023
  2,860
 2,200  2,259  

  Notes:

  1. Excludes Stirling and North Lanarkshire.

  2. Excludes Edinburgh, North Lanarkshire and Stirling.

  3. Excludes North Lanarkshire, Stirling and West Lothian.

Modern Apprenticeships

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any subsidy is available for engineering apprenticeships; if so, whether it will give details, whether the subsidy is different from any subsidy available in England and Wales and, if so, how it is different, and whether it has any plans to make changes to address any such differences.

Iain Gray: These are operational matters for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. They contribute towards the training costs of modern apprenticeships: it is for them to set the level of contribution. I understand that Scottish Enterprise is currently reviewing its contributions policy: this will include a benchmarking exercise with England and Wales.

Multiple Sclerosis

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources it intends to provide to reduce waiting times for multiple sclerosis sufferers awaiting assessment for beta interferon.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer I gave to S1W-30808 on 12 November 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at   http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  The Executive is fully committed to the UK-wide risk-sharing scheme for which funding has been made available through NHS boards’ aggregate financial allocations. NHS boards, in conjunction with their designated consultant neurologists with a special interest in multiple sclerosis, should establish suitable arrangements for dealing with and funding continuing treatment.

  The Scottish Executive Health Department is working closely with the MS Society, MS Trust and Association of British Neurologists to ensure that those patients who are eligible to participate in the scheme are informed accurately about these arrangements.

National Lottery Funding

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when a decision will be taken on the distribution of national lottery funds, given that the consultation period on Review of Lottery Funding - A consultation paper on Lottery distribution policy , issued jointly by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Executive, the National Assembly for Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly, has ended.

Dr Elaine Murray: Ministers are currently considering options in the light of the responses to the consultation which closed on 30 October. I expect that the final conclusions of the review of lottery distribution policy will be announced by the late spring or early summer.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-departmental public bodies have been (a) abolished and (b) established since 1999.

Mr Andy Kerr: A total of 49 public bodies have been abolished or de-classified since 1999. Fourteen new public bodies have been created.

  Since July 2002 information on public bodies has been available on the Public Body and Appointment Website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/government/publicbodies/. It was previously set out in the annual Cabinet Office publication Public Bodies.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-departmental public bodies it is planning to establish.

Mr Andy Kerr: Proposals to establish new non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are under consideration by the Executive but final decisions will not be made until the full options appraisal and exacting scrutiny as required by Public Bodies Proposals for Change have been completed. Until that time I am unable to make any announcement. No new NDPBs will be established unless there is an absolutely clear need, and where other organisational options have been ruled out.

  The creation of any new public body will be announced to the relevant committee of the Parliament.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30175 by Mr Jim Wallace on 16 October 2002, why values for land and buildings were not given separately from other tangible assets in the answer, given that values for land and buildings are shown separately in the Scottish Prison Service's annual accounts.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The figures provided in response to question S1W-30175 were for tangible land assets as that is what the question asked for. The figures were inadvertently referred to as tangible assets rather than tangible land assets in the answer given to question S1W-30175. This was clarified in the answer given to question S1W-30742 on 2 December 2002.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32013 by Mr Jim Wallace on 10 December 2002, whether it made any examination of the value for money of contracting out education services in the Scottish Prison Service prior to tendering for such services.

Hugh Henry: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  No. The SPS made a value for money comparison as part of our procurement process.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32013 by Mr Jim Wallace on 10 December 2002, whether any internal bid was considered as part of the competitive tendering of education services in prisons.

Hugh Henry: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  No. The SPS does not have education provision capacity internally.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the provider of education services in each Scottish Prison Service prison since 1 April 2000 to date, showing the dates on which each provider began and ceased provision of such services.

Hugh Henry: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  All the providers of education in Scottish prisons continue as they have been since 1 April 2000:

  Aberdeen College provides SPS with education services in HMP Aberdeen and Peterhead; Lauder College in HM Prison Castle Huntly, Edinburgh, Glenochil, Noranside and Perth; Motherwell College in HM Prison Barlinnie, Cornton Vale, Dumfries, Greenock, Low Moss, Polmont and Shotts and Highland Council in HM Prison Inverness.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional prisoner places, as defined in section 34 of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock , have been recorded in the daily report for every day of the operation of the prison.

Hugh Henry: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Fotry-eight additional prisoner places have been available each day since July 2000.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates a written notice has been given under section 34.1 of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock requiring the contractor to provide additional prisoner places; how many such places have been required, and what period of notice was given in each case.

Hugh Henry: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  
 Date of Notice
Number of Additional Prisoner Places
Period of Notice 
21 June 2000 48
4.5 months  13 
November 2000 48
3 months  26 February 
2001 48
3 months  31 May 
2001 48
3 months  7 September 
2001 48
3 months  5 December 
2001 48
6 months  29 May 
2002 48
6 months  1 November 
2002 192
12 months

River Clyde

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the regeneration of Glasgow’s Clyde waterfront conference held on 29 November 2002 which called for a single agency to co-ordinate riverside regeneration on the River Clyde.

Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive welcomes debate and discussion on the issues associated with the regeneration of the River Clyde. The Clyde Waterfront Working Group (CWWG) was established last year to look at how public agencies could work better at regenerating the Upper Clyde Corridor (from Glasgow Green to the Erskine Bridge). The CWWG will make a collective recommendation on both appropriate delivery mechanisms and a development framework once all the required information is available.

  The Scottish Executive remains open-minded and keen to ensure the right approach is identified to deliver a world-class waterfront.

Scotland Act 1998

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the value has been of receipts that were designated for the purposes of section 64(5) of the Scotland Act 1998 by article 2 of the Scotland Act 1998 (Designation of Receipts) Order 2000 (SI 2000/687) and article 8 of the Scotland Act 1998 (Transitory and Transitional Provisions) (Finance) Order 1999 (SI 1999/441) in each twelve-month period since 1 July 1999, broken down by (a) fines, forfeitures and fixed penalties, (b) dividends on public dividend capital, (c) interest and (d) sums received from the European Social Fund in respect of training expenditure incurred by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is contained in note 4 to the Scottish Executive’s annual accounts for 2000-01, which can be found at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/finance/ConsolidatedAccounts.pdf.

  And 2001-02 http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/finance/PublishConsolidatedAccounts2002.pdf.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funding the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has received to deal with any radioactive releases into the sea since the agency's inception.

Ross Finnie: SEPA’s annual accounts provide figures for income and expenditure on regulation under the Radioactive Substances Act (RSA) 1993. Figures for the last three years are as follows:

  

 

1999-2000
  

2000-01
  

2001-02
  



RSA Expenditure
  

664,000
  

1,192,000
  

1,309,000
  



RSA Charging Scheme Income
  

436,000
  

843,000
  

1,023,000
  



  Expenditure which is not recovered through charging is funded from Grant-in-Aid (GIA) provided by the Executive. These figures cover all regulation under RSA, which includes storage and disposal of radioactive materials and waste, as well as environmental discharges.

  It is possible that there are some aspects of radioactive substances monitoring that are not included in the above figures if they are not related directly to regulation. These activities will be funded from GIA, but GIA is not ring-fenced for specific purposes.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has a prosecution policy and, if so, whether it will give details of the policy.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has published a Policy Statement on Enforcement. It can be found on SEPA’s website at www.sepa.org.uk . This states that where SEPA is aware of a breach of legislation, which it is responsible for enforcing, the agency has a number of enforcement options available to it. These include the sending of a final warning letter, the issuing of an enforcement notice or the reporting of the breach to the Procurator Fiscal recommending prosecution. Prosecution will be recommended to the Procurator Fiscal where justified in order to punish offenders, to avoid recurrence and to encourage general compliance. Where the circumstances warrant it, a case may be referred to the Procurator Fiscal without prior warning or recourse to alternative methods of enforcement.

Sectarianism

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its assessment is of sectarianism in schools and what measures it proposes to tackle the issue.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive has not carried out any specific assessment of sectarianism in schools.

  Tackling sectarianism is part of the promotion of equal opportunities in schools. One of the National Priorities for education focuses specifically on teaching respect for others, interdependence with other members of the neighbourhood and society, and the duties and responsibilities of citizenship.

  The curriculum offers a number of opportunities for pupils to be made aware of sectarianism within the subject areas of personal and social development, religious and moral education, and other social subjects within environmental studies. It is for schools and teachers to promote positive attitudes and to address inappropriate behaviour.

  Following a recent meeting between the First Minister and Rangers and Celtic Football Clubs, the Scottish Executive plans to commission an education pack for schools aimed at tackling sectarian attitudes among young people, in partnership with the football clubs.

Sectarianism

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its assessment is of the education for mutual understanding scheme in Northern Ireland and whether the scheme could be utilised to tackle sectarianism in Scotland

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive has not made an assessment of this scheme, which was developed specifically for the situation in Northern Ireland, and has no current plans to introduce it in Scotland.

Trade

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30235 by Malcolm Chisholm on 17 October 2002, when it was last in contact with the Department of Trade and Industry on trade issues and on how these issues may impact on the Executive's responsibilities.

Iain Gray: The regulation of international trade is a reserved matter. However, the Executive continues to be in regular contact with the Department of Trade and Industry on trade issues.

Youth Crime

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the multi-agency group referred to on page 14 of Scotland’s Action Programme to Reduce Youth Crime 2002 under the heading "increasing public confidence in Scotland’s system of youth justice", due to report in Autumn 2002, will report.

Cathy Jamieson: The National Youth Justice Standards were published on 19 December. The document is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 25683).

Youth Crime

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made on implementation of the recommendations of the Advisory Group on Youth Crime, which reported in June 2000.

Cathy Jamieson: The Executive accepted the recommendations of the multi-agency Advisory Group on youth crime in June 2000. Scotland’s Action Programme to Reduce Youth Crime 2002 and the 10-point Action Plan to tackle Youth Crime and Disorder are currently being implemented.